Do You Want to Talk About it?
by RisingSm0ke
Summary: When Conrad said Veser could stay with him, he didn't know that meant he'd wind up waking one night to the sound of crying. Rated T for language and mentions of past abuse (no pairings). Edited with the help of Fairytale Warrior, go check her stuff out!


The first time Veser stayed in Conrad's apartment, the teenager was loud and obnoxious. The second time he'd made a mess in the living room area. The third time he'd been silent. The fourth time he'd cried. Conrad had little to no experience with kids- meaning the ages _baby_ to, _not-quite-able-to-legally-drink-yet_\- so when he woke up Saturday night to the sound of Veser crying, he had no fucking clue how to handle it.

The vampire hovered in the hallway, listening to his guest sniffle from his position on the living room couch. Conrad only had a vague idea of who Veser was, and most of that information was from what Hanna had found out; and despite seeing more therapists in his 27 years than he bothered to try and remember, Conrad still wasn't one to talk about feelings. In other words trying to plot a course of action was more or less useless. The half selkie was sensitive, probably more so than he thought he let on, and even the smallest step into the wrong subject would trigger a strong reaction. From the content of failed conversations passed, Conrad knew Veser had been abused until very recently by his family. He also knew the kid went to school, loved video games, sushi and Mountain Dew. None of this was really all that helpful in this situation however. A sigh slipped between Conrad's teeth as he finally turned the corner and walked to the couch. He'd just have to wing it.

"Veser." The selkie flinched so violently that Conrad found himself jumping back a little in surprise- _what the fuck was that about?_ For a moment blood red eyes made contact with poison green and Conrad understood, Veser had reacted as though he was about to be hit. The vampire felt his un-beating heart break a little at the fear that had shot across Veser's face before the emotion was shut down. Even as Veser turned to bury his face in his knees, which were curled up and clutched to his torso, Conrad continued to take in the beaten form sitting on his couch. He'd been in that position too many times to count when he was a teenager.

"What?" Veser snapped suddenly, whipping to face the pale man beside him and forcing his lips into an anguished snarl that Conrad could see right through. The vampire sat down on the edge of the couch, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees.

"Do you want to talk about it?" The words tasted foreign on his tongue, but Conrad made sure to keep his voice smooth. Veser continued to glare, however Conrad didn't look at him or react. He simply waited for an answer. The tension of Veser's leer was broken after a moment as he sighed.

"It's really creepy when you do that, you know." His voice was thick and a little wobbly, yet also held a hint of humor. Crimson eyes focused on Veser once more, confusion clear in Conrad's expression as he tried to understand the seemingly random comment.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"You don't _move_. It's like you're a statue. It's... unnerving. Sometimes I forget you're there and then you talk or something and- fuck man, do you know how quiet you are?"

"Uh?"

"And your eyes glow. Did you know that? So not only are you quiet but when it's dark all I see are two glowing eyes!" Conrad squinted at his guest briefly before taking in a deep, unnecessary, breath and standing up, adjusting his already perfectly placed glasses and giving Veser one last glance.

"Well. I'm going to take the subject change as a 'no' and since I cannot make you talk, I'll leave you be. If you need anything I'll be working in my office." With that Conrad turned on his heel and made his way towards his computer, leaving the door to his office cracked open behind him.

Veser watched Conrad march silently across the room to the door of his office. Even after the vampire was out of sight, green eyes remained fixated on the door- left slightly open as if in silent invitation. He'd never met someone like Conrad before. Hell, he'd never met a _vampire_ before, but he had a feeling Conrad wasn't a very accurate representation of his species.

Distractions either worked or they didn't, there was no in-between. In Veser's experience people would either pick up on the change of subject, especially if the subject was them, or they'd blatantly refuse it and demand answers to the original question. Conrad had done neither.

For the next hour or so Veser found himself torn between wanting to sit stubbornly on the couch and sulk, and the desire to talk about what had been bothering him. He'd never been one to voice his problems or feelings, but there was something about the way Conrad had asked, _"do you want to talk about it,"_ that made Veser feel... not quite safe, but something close. Something about the vampire screamed, _I understand-_ though Veser had no idea how that could be. Looking around Conrad's apartment, one could see that there was order to everything in it. There was also value, each item- be it knick-knack or the furniture- looked expensive and planned. There were no photos of family or friends, only paintings or other forms of framed art. One wall held Conrad's degree from Ringling College of Art and Design as well as a handful of works he'd been commissioned for. When asked about them the vampire had glanced at the wall and given an off-handed _"I'm a free-lance artist, Veser. I've made a lot of things for a lot of people- those are simply the works I liked the best, even if all were not successful." _After that Veser had searched the internet for more of his host's work, finding that he had seen some already (the vampire had even made designs for video games Veser played).

Now Veser admitted to himself that he may have judged the vampire too quickly. At first glance he was some stuck up prick with OCD and a high paying job who was probably raised by a moderately wealthy family. At least part of that was true, but after watching Conrad interact with Hanna and life in general, the half selkie began to suspect the man didn't have everything as together as he lead people to think. Veser scrunched up his face in confusion and frustration; for being such an open book, Conrad Achenleck was tough to read.

His eyes again drifted to the office door.

* * *

The sound of soft footfalls alerted Conrad to Veser's approach, but he kept working and waited as the door slowly swung open. His gaze didn't waver from the screen in front of him until he heard Veser clear his throat quietly.

"...Conrad?" The vampire looked up in time to catch the face Veser made at having to say his name- like it was awkward to be calling a man ten years his senior by his first, and not last, name. Conrad put his computer to sleep and politely turned to give Veser his full attention. Said teen moved further into the office and sat on another chair against the wall but otherwise remained stuck in his awkward silence. After a moment Conrad took pity on him and spoke first.

"Let's play a game," lips pulled into a momentary grimace at the words, "you ask me a question, I answer then I get to ask you a question and so on."

There was silence then, "What are we, teenage girls?"

"Well I don't see you coming up with any other ideas!" _God damn it this is so__** stupid.**_

"I didn't say _no_." Veser snickered with a shark-toothed grin. Conrad's temper sparked out, like a fire that suddenly found itself under a storming rain cloud, and he had to press his lips together to keep them from quirking into a smirk.

"Why did you move here?" Veser leaned back in his chair, legs again curled up in front of him and chin resting on the arms crossed over his knees. Conrad looked down for a moment and pushed up his glasses to rub his eyes, _what had he gotten himself into?_

"I moved here because I wanted to start over."

"Start over? That's something murderers who regret what they've donesay."

"Hey, it's one question at a time and this is my turn," Conrad snapped without much heat. A moment passed in deliberate silence before he continued, "How old are you?"

"Seventeen. What was there to leave back home?"

"Everything. But mostly my mother. Why were you crying?"

Veser's brain seemed to stall for a moment before he collected himself enough to answer. "I was thinking about my parents. About how Lee died and how it's probably my dad's fault..." Green eyes watched Conrad warily, waiting for some kind of reaction. Waiting for the pity or the laughter. He waited for _something_. His host only gave a small nod and remained silent- waiting for his question. "Why mostly your mom?"

The undead man's answering smile was bitter and he let out a single bark of laughter, "Because she was a bitch and I hated her." Conrad looked down at his hands, clenched together into one fist, and his smile turned into a sneer. "I'm sure you've heard the saying 'sticks and stones will break your bones, but names will never hurt you.' I'm sure you also know what a load of horse shit that is." Veser stared, somewhat startled, as Conrad continued. "My father left us when I was three. As a result my mother took out any anger she had on me;

The one reminder that he had ever been in her life.

I was a mistake, I was stupid and dangerous. I was just like_** him**_. For as long as I remember I've been in therapy for problems my mother was convinced I had- have. She told me I was terrible and that it was worse because I looked like _him_. I believed her of course, she was my mother- who else was I going to believe if not my own mother?

"I grew up taking pills and learning that words hurt more than bruises, because I got those too, the kids at school were less than nice about that. She wanted me to be something 'important' like a doctor or lawyer or something else equally cliché. But I wanted to be an artist, so shortly after my 20th birthday, I left. And I haven't talked to her since."

"Oh." Veser squeaked. "I," he hesitated, trying to pick his words carefully, "Didn't know?" His voice was uncertain and soft, he'd always been the one doing the story-telling- never the listener. Now that the roles were reversed he wasn't sure what to say. He relaxed a little when Conrad shrugged and gave him a small, sad smile.

"Of course you didn't, I haven't told anyone**,**" Conrad answered dismissively, continuing before Veser could respond.

"Your father was abusive." It wasn't really a question but Veser answered it anyway, eyes downcast.

"Yeah," for a short moment it looked almost as though Veser would end it there. Then, "he tended to act first and ask questions later. My mom gave me as little attention as possible, so it's not like she ever tried to stop him. Lee didn't know about itand I've never told anyone either," he trailed off, awaiting his host's judgment.

"They won't hurt you again, Veser," the selkie's eyes shot up to meet the red ones across the room, "Ipromise." The hair on his neck pricked, there was a certain finality to the man's words and an unidentifiable emotion in his eyes. Veser could tell that this _vampire_\- a creature known for its cruelty- was going to keep his word. Maybe it was because as a vampire, he had to. Or maybe it was because that was just the kind of person Conrad was. Whatever the reason, it made Veser laugh. He laughed so hard that he cried tears of every kind- sadness, anger, happiness- you name it. He laughed till he couldn't breath and he let himself fall onto his hands and knees on the floor. Every negative emotion he'd carried around for the last few years of his life came out in the form of laughter and tears to the point where he was gasping for breath on the floor.

After some time the laughing had faded and now he sat in the middle of the room, smiling hugely as tears continued to stream down his face and sobs racked his body. It was just so _funny_ and so _sad_, that this man he'd known for four days cared more than his own parents ever had. For the first time since his fit had started, Veser looked at Conrad- sitting in his chair, unmoving.

The vampire watched him before a genuine smile split across his face, showing Veser mis-matched fangs. Conrad stood up and walked over to crouch beside Veser, putting a pale hand on his shoulder to keep the teenager from swaying- _oh man, he needed air._ It took another half hour, but eventually Veser was able to stop bursting into a fit of laughter or crying, all the while Conrad sat next to him on the floor. They talked for quite a while that way. Sitting on the ground and playing the "stupid question game," as Conrad later called it. They learned about each other's past and what they had wanted for the future before everything had been fucked up.

Their conversation only stopped once the sun started to break the horizon and Conrad was driven back to his room by a massive light-induced headache and the need to sleep. Veser was tired too, so he blocked all the windows and made his way back to the couch, content to sleep away the rest of the day in the false darkness created by curtains and blankets.

Conrad had promised him sushi tomorrow night and the faster he got to sleep, the faster time would pass and the faster he'd get some of his favorite food.


End file.
